Freshly face lifted and as competent as ever, Mazda’s CX-7 compact SUV has cemented its place among the top four best sellers in a highly competitive segment.
In fact, the top six are a “Who’s Who” of Japanese vehicles – between them Subaru Forester, Toyota RAV4, Nissan X-Trail, Mitsubishi Outlander, Honda CRV and the Mazda CX-7 accounted for 62.3 per cent of the segment’s sales in March.
And as the CX-7 is not the price leader in that pack, its sales success is even more commendable.
What You Get
Mazda handed Car Showroom the keys to a CX-7 Classic, the $33,990 entry-level model. But ‘entry level’ is misleading; in fact the list of standard inclusions means the Classic casts a large shadow over its more up-market siblings – Sports and Luxury.
Big news for the latest facelift was two new engines – the 2.5-litre petrol, as fitted to our Classic test vehicle, and Mazda’s 2.2-litre turbo-diesel.
Pleasingly, the facelift only delivered small appearance changes and the CX-7 remains a standout effort from Mazda’s design teams. Those good looks and handy interior dimensions combine with Mazda’s usual top-shelf driving dynamics to ensure to ensure the CX-7 is still a very smart gadget.
The Engine
CX-7 Classic is powered by Mazda’s new 2.5-litre in-line, four-cylinder, 16-valve DOHC petrol engine. It is the fuel economy leader of the petrol-engine range (Classic Sports and Luxury Sports models get the turbocharged 2.3-litre petrol powerplant).
The new 2.5-litre is Euro IV compliant and delivers 120kW at 6,000rpm and peak torque of 205Nm at 2,000 rpm. That’s noticeably shy of the 2.3-litre turbo’s 175kW/350Nm (and you notice it behind the wheel) but the payback is fuel economy where the 2.5-litre delivers 9.4l/100kms to the turbo’s 11.5l/100kms.
Mazda says the 2.5-litre petrol emits 223g/km of C02.
Code-named the MZR 2.5, the new engine is a high-tech design in the modern way – alloy block and cylinder head with DOHC, 16-valves and counter-rotating balance shafts located in the sump. Fuel is delivered to the intake ports via an electronically controlled sequential injection system and an injection-molded, nylon-reinforced plastic intake manifold.
In the Classic model we tested, drive is to the front wheels via a five-speed automatic transmission with electronic sequential manual shifting mode.
The Interior
Headlining the interior changes included in the facelift is the revised ‘double-roof’ dashboard layout, which now includes a 4.1-inch multi-function display screen. As well as the usual audio, trip computer, ambient temperature, air-conditioning and maintenance information, the screen doubles as the display for the standard reversing camera.
In Luxury Sports and Diesel Sports models, the multi-function screen encompasses satellite navigation display.
There’s also a new steering wheel with sensible cruise control and remote audio buttons, some new trim materials and a chrome garnish for the air-conditioning vents. Front seats adjust manually but combine well with the rake-reach adjustable wheel to provide a nice driving position.
We liked the simple center console dials to set the automatic air-conditioning system – big, easy to adjust on bumpy roads, with handily located temperature displays.
Audio is a four-speaker, six-disc in-dash CD system with an auxiliary jack at the front of the centre console.
Installation of the Car Showroom juniors’ child/booster seats was straightforward.
The rear seat folds 60/40 and the cargo capacity is 400 litres.
Exterior & Styling
Mazda’s stylists scored considerable kudos when the CX-7 first broke cover in 2006 and changes in the facelift are minor – a larger lower front grille (needed for extra cooling air for the turbo-diesel engine) with the now standard Mazda five-point corporate look and a new look for the fog-lights. At the rear, only a larger roof spoiler was added.
We loved the steeply-raked 66-degree windscreen, deeply sculptured bonnet and wide front fenders as well as the curved, broad rear three-quarter panels.
Our Classic model rode on 17-inch alloy wheels, which we personally think look better than the 18s and 19s on the other variants.
Mazda has certainly changed the styling emphasis of compact SUVs…and to think, it’s now 2010 and some rivals still wheel-out boxy designs.
On The Road
The Car Showroom family is keen on sports and weekends away, so we’ve always listed the seven-seat Mazda CX-9 as a ‘must-have’ inclusion in our garage – but the CX-7 ain’t no ‘bench-warmer’ for its more glamorous teammates. Value-for-money is a crucial factor for family buyers and that is where the CX-7 stands out in such exalted company.
Driving dynamics are top shelf for compact SUVs and even though it’s only a front-driver to its siblings’ all-wheel-drive, the CX-7 really impressed with its supremely high levels of grip and chassis balance when pushed over our high-speed mountain roads test route. If ultimate performance and/or occasional off-road (snow etc) ability are crucial requirements for your lifestyle, find the extra $5,000 for the AWD CX-7 Classic Sports, but for most family buyers the CX-7 Classic will delight.
Refinement levels are high in most circumstances although we did notice some front-end harshness over Melbourne’s tram and train track crossings.
We reckon all SUVs should have reversing cameras as standard – purely from the safety angle. And there’s no doubt the CX-7 with its high-waisted rear-end would be challenging to reverse park in tight city locations without the camera.
The 11.4-metre turning circle does require some care when attempting tight inner-city maneuvers.
Challenges
Like many compact SUVs, the CX-7’s packaging can be deceiving. With the rear seat in place and careful packing you can fit several large suitcases and most goodies for a family weekend.
But, for example, our full-size set of golf clubs was a very tight squeeze (we took out the driver just to be safe).
Verdict
Its popularity (over 200,000 sold worldwide) and value-for-money means the CX-7 simply must be in the consideration set of anyone shopping for a compact SUV. And while the Classic is the so-called entry-level CX-7, we’d be happy for this ‘base model’ to grace our driveway anytime.
The Competition
The latest Subaru Forester has much-improved interior space and it’s sharply priced.
Toyota’s RAV4 isn’t the newest kid on the block but its interior exudes an up-market look/feel and it’s handily priced
Latest models of Nissan’s X-Trail are much improved over the original but the interior doesn’t match the CX-7 for quality and dynamics.
Likes:
Great looks; lots of kit; quality build and feel
Dislikes:
Engine works hard at times; front suspension noise over bumps.
